Madeira - Day 4 - Cable car to Monte and Tropical Garden

I took another way down this morning, trying to follow the cable car to its source.

Bananas growing in a side yard. They are smaller than "normal" and sometime covered with blue bags to help them ripen. The ones I bought the other day are delicious, somehow denser and more flavourful.

Another cruise ship heading in. There have been one or two each day so far. In the evening they sound their horns as they leave.

There is a web site called Madeira Island News that posts a couple of small articles every day in English. Today it identified the motor yacht, that I posted a picture of yesterday, as Symphony owned by" Bernard Arnault is the richest person in Europe and the fourth richest person in the world"

I took note of some more decorative finials on the roofs

and little lizards out in the sun.

I again passed through the Velha area and thats the cable car terminal at the end of the street.

Such a contrast to the old section. My plan was to take the cable car up to the Monte and walk back down, so it cost me 11 Euros for a one way trip.

Each of the Gondola cars seats 6 and there were 5 in ours - a Danish couple, English man, Portuguese girl and myself.

Amazing views across the city

and I was able to locate my house. Interesting to see the solar water heaters on the roof.

I could see how the tunnels went right under residential neighbourhoods, and sometimes under each other,

the road that comes in from the airport

and, after we exclaimed over the houses clinging to the canyons sides and the various small farms, the Monte terminus. The trip took about 15minutes.  It became clear, on looking down at the twisting turning roads that a walk back would take me hours even though it was going downhill.

There is a lot to see and do up there and another cable car down to a Botanical garden (another day). Today I started with the Tropical Garden and Monte Palace Museum.

The gardens include an extensive collection of tiles from the 15th to the 20th century, displayed on walls and often surrounded by flora.

A small building housed a collection of Zimbabwe stone sculptures from the Tengenenge artists community.

Some of the pieces were named and some had the artist too but most stood without any identification. A writeup explained that they were works of 3 generations of artists who sold them from their outside studios to tourists.

A mock-up of a studio.

A huge collection being displayed by the Monte Palace Museum.

I am going to end the post here and continue with the garden in tomorrows post, as it is 10pm and I am exhausted.